Creating Healthy Organizations
Taking Action to Improve Employee Well-Being, Revised and Expanded Edition
2nd Edition
Published on 6. April 2020
Book
Hardback
368 pages
978-1-4875-0515-8 (ISBN)
Description
How can you future-proof your organization by making it humanly sustainable? Creating Healthy Organizations answers this question, showing how to forge stronger links between employee well-being and the future success of any organization. The book makes a compelling case for resilient and humanly sustainable businesses by focusing on improving employees' well-being.
Employee stress, burnout, work-life conflict, and disengagement remain significant workplace problems. Yet, there are important signs of progress. The healthy organization concept has begun moving into the mainstream of corporate wellness. Scholarly research has advanced beyond making a business case for workplace health promotion to showing how successful interventions are based on a culture of health and closer ties with occupational health and safety. More companies are addressing mental health issues, striving to make workplaces psychologically healthy and safe. Expanded environmental sustainability frameworks provide an opening for the more sustainable use of human resources. As well, extensive tools are now available in many countries to guide actions aimed at developing healthy, safe, and thriving workplaces.
These recent workplace trends and resources highlight the need for an updated, concise, integrated, and practical analysis of the challenges of creating a healthier organization, the hurdles that must be overcome along the way, and the key success factors that can guide the improvement process. Creating Healthy Organizations, Revised and Expanded Edition fills this gap in knowledge and practice, guiding those committed to making their organizations healthier.
Employee stress, burnout, work-life conflict, and disengagement remain significant workplace problems. Yet, there are important signs of progress. The healthy organization concept has begun moving into the mainstream of corporate wellness. Scholarly research has advanced beyond making a business case for workplace health promotion to showing how successful interventions are based on a culture of health and closer ties with occupational health and safety. More companies are addressing mental health issues, striving to make workplaces psychologically healthy and safe. Expanded environmental sustainability frameworks provide an opening for the more sustainable use of human resources. As well, extensive tools are now available in many countries to guide actions aimed at developing healthy, safe, and thriving workplaces.
These recent workplace trends and resources highlight the need for an updated, concise, integrated, and practical analysis of the challenges of creating a healthier organization, the hurdles that must be overcome along the way, and the key success factors that can guide the improvement process. Creating Healthy Organizations, Revised and Expanded Edition fills this gap in knowledge and practice, guiding those committed to making their organizations healthier.
More details
Edition
2nd edition
Language
English
Place of publication
Toronto
Canada
Target group
College/higher education
Professional and scholarly
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
With dust jacket
Illustrations
20 figures
Dimensions
Height: 236 mm
Width: 164 mm
Thickness: 30 mm
Weight
679 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-4875-0515-8 (9781487505158)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Graham Lowe is president of The Graham Lowe Group Inc., a workplace consulting and research firm, and a professor emeritus at the University of Alberta.
Content
Figures
Preface
Acknowledgments
Introduction
The Healthy Organization Ideal
Looking at Your Organization through a Health Lens
Helping Change Agents
Leveraging Where You Are Today
Learning from Your Peers
Chapter Overview
1. The Healthy Organization
Integrating Well-Being and Performance
Healthy Organizations in Action
A Healthy Organization Model
Vibrant Workplaces
Inspired Employees
Beyond Engagement
The Capabilities of an Inspired Workforce
Learning
Collaboration
Culture and Leadership
Culture and Leadership in Action
Better Workplaces
Sustainable Success
Stronger People-Performance Links
Healthier Employees and Communities
Making Well-Being a Priority
2. Beyond Workplace Health Promotion
The Wellness Paradox
Healthy Workplace Pay-Offs and Potential
Wellness Returns on Investment
Healthy Lifestyle Programs
Addressing Chronic Health Conditions
Targeting High-Risk Employees
An Organizational View of Health and Wellness
Limitations of Workplace Health Promotion
Comparing Health Promotion and Organizational Perspectives
Leveraging Workplace Health Promotion
Organizational Solutions for Wellness
Rethinking Absenteeism
Present but Not Productive
Healthy Psychosocial Work Environments
Talking about Health and Performance
3. How Vibrant Workplaces Inspire Employees
How Employees Experience Healthy Organizations
Envisioning Vibrant Workplaces
Envisioning an Inspired Workforce
How Vibrant Workplaces Inspire Employees
Focusing on Work Experiences
Defining Good Jobs
Healthy Workplaces through Employees' Eyes
Why Some Workplaces Are Healthier than Others
Why Employees' Perceptions Matter
Closing the Inspiration Gap
The Dynamics of a Healthy Organization
4. Positive Cultures
What Is Culture?
Culture as Competitive Advantage
Unhealthy and Healthy Cultures
Unhealthy Cultures
Healthy Cultures
Culture Change
Cultures Can Be Revitalized and Can Evolve
The Culture-Strengthening Process
Strengthening Values
The Importance of Values
New Values
Renewed Values
From Values to Behaviours
Revitalizing Your Organization's Culture
5. Inclusive Leadership
Leading the Way to Healthier Organizations
Leading at the Micro Level
Who Are the Leaders?
Widely Distributing Leadership Responsibility
Qualities of Inclusive Leaders
Leading with People Skills
Gaps in People Skills
Follow-Through on People Commitments
Setting the Tone
Focusing on Leadership Behaviours
Living the Guiding Principles
Leadership to Build Supportive Workplaces
Leading Change
6. Healthy Change
Getting on a Healthy Change Trajectory
Focusing on the Journey
The Role of Culture and Leadership
Five Principles for Healthy Change
Understanding Change Readiness
Aligning Structure and Culture
Linking People Initiatives to the Business Strategy
Widen the Circle of Involvement
Make Time for Learning and Innovation
Change as Renewal
7. Sustainable Success
What Makes Success Sustainable?
Social and Environmental Dimensions
Human Resource Dimensions
Ingredients of Sustainable Success
Renewing Relationships with Society
Corporate Social Responsibility Evolves
The Changing Face of Social Responsibility
Good Corporate Citizen, Outstanding Employer
Making Sustainability Strategic
Vibrant Workplaces Support Social Responsibility
Renewing Workforce Capabilities
Workforce Diversity Strategies
Inspiring Three Generations of Workers
Long-Range Workforce Planning
Making Progress
8. Measuring Progress
Using Evidence for Action
Practical Challenges of Using Evidence
Thinking Ahead
The Value of Qualitative Consultations
Measurement Tools
Measures
Tools
Design Options
Return on Investment
Using Surveys for Healthy Change
Survey Guidelines
Finding a Clear Direction from Survey Data
Using Survey Results for Leadership Development
Integrated Performance Reporting
Examples of Effective Performance Reporting
Triangulating Your Existing Data
Guidelines for Measuring Improvements
Healthy Organization Measures Are Good Public Policy
9. Designing a Healthy Organization Strategy
Notes
Index
Preface
Acknowledgments
Introduction
The Healthy Organization Ideal
Looking at Your Organization through a Health Lens
Helping Change Agents
Leveraging Where You Are Today
Learning from Your Peers
Chapter Overview
1. The Healthy Organization
Integrating Well-Being and Performance
Healthy Organizations in Action
A Healthy Organization Model
Vibrant Workplaces
Inspired Employees
Beyond Engagement
The Capabilities of an Inspired Workforce
Learning
Collaboration
Culture and Leadership
Culture and Leadership in Action
Better Workplaces
Sustainable Success
Stronger People-Performance Links
Healthier Employees and Communities
Making Well-Being a Priority
2. Beyond Workplace Health Promotion
The Wellness Paradox
Healthy Workplace Pay-Offs and Potential
Wellness Returns on Investment
Healthy Lifestyle Programs
Addressing Chronic Health Conditions
Targeting High-Risk Employees
An Organizational View of Health and Wellness
Limitations of Workplace Health Promotion
Comparing Health Promotion and Organizational Perspectives
Leveraging Workplace Health Promotion
Organizational Solutions for Wellness
Rethinking Absenteeism
Present but Not Productive
Healthy Psychosocial Work Environments
Talking about Health and Performance
3. How Vibrant Workplaces Inspire Employees
How Employees Experience Healthy Organizations
Envisioning Vibrant Workplaces
Envisioning an Inspired Workforce
How Vibrant Workplaces Inspire Employees
Focusing on Work Experiences
Defining Good Jobs
Healthy Workplaces through Employees' Eyes
Why Some Workplaces Are Healthier than Others
Why Employees' Perceptions Matter
Closing the Inspiration Gap
The Dynamics of a Healthy Organization
4. Positive Cultures
What Is Culture?
Culture as Competitive Advantage
Unhealthy and Healthy Cultures
Unhealthy Cultures
Healthy Cultures
Culture Change
Cultures Can Be Revitalized and Can Evolve
The Culture-Strengthening Process
Strengthening Values
The Importance of Values
New Values
Renewed Values
From Values to Behaviours
Revitalizing Your Organization's Culture
5. Inclusive Leadership
Leading the Way to Healthier Organizations
Leading at the Micro Level
Who Are the Leaders?
Widely Distributing Leadership Responsibility
Qualities of Inclusive Leaders
Leading with People Skills
Gaps in People Skills
Follow-Through on People Commitments
Setting the Tone
Focusing on Leadership Behaviours
Living the Guiding Principles
Leadership to Build Supportive Workplaces
Leading Change
6. Healthy Change
Getting on a Healthy Change Trajectory
Focusing on the Journey
The Role of Culture and Leadership
Five Principles for Healthy Change
Understanding Change Readiness
Aligning Structure and Culture
Linking People Initiatives to the Business Strategy
Widen the Circle of Involvement
Make Time for Learning and Innovation
Change as Renewal
7. Sustainable Success
What Makes Success Sustainable?
Social and Environmental Dimensions
Human Resource Dimensions
Ingredients of Sustainable Success
Renewing Relationships with Society
Corporate Social Responsibility Evolves
The Changing Face of Social Responsibility
Good Corporate Citizen, Outstanding Employer
Making Sustainability Strategic
Vibrant Workplaces Support Social Responsibility
Renewing Workforce Capabilities
Workforce Diversity Strategies
Inspiring Three Generations of Workers
Long-Range Workforce Planning
Making Progress
8. Measuring Progress
Using Evidence for Action
Practical Challenges of Using Evidence
Thinking Ahead
The Value of Qualitative Consultations
Measurement Tools
Measures
Tools
Design Options
Return on Investment
Using Surveys for Healthy Change
Survey Guidelines
Finding a Clear Direction from Survey Data
Using Survey Results for Leadership Development
Integrated Performance Reporting
Examples of Effective Performance Reporting
Triangulating Your Existing Data
Guidelines for Measuring Improvements
Healthy Organization Measures Are Good Public Policy
9. Designing a Healthy Organization Strategy
Notes
Index